It’s been a bit of a journey, but Jurassic World fans can finally get excited, as the latest installment in the franchise – Dominion – is officially back in production. With this, the film’s ensemble cast is gradually returning to set. This includes Dr. Alan Grant himself, Sam Neil, who recently confirmed his return with a nostalgic reunion between him and "an old friend." Now, Dr. Ellie Sattler, Laura Dern, is also teasing her return with a cool new photo.
Like many of her castmates, Laura Dern is also back on set and ready to get to work on Jurassic World: Dominion. The actress revealed the news through an Instagram post that showed both her and Sam Neill’s chairs, both marked with their characters’ names. And as with Neill’s most recent post, she included the phrase “Hello, old friend.” You can check out the sweet post below:
Jurassic World: Dominion will mark Laura Dern’s first appearance in the franchise since 2001’s Jurassic Park III. While important, Ellie Sattler’s role in that film was brief but, based on previous comments made by Sam Neill, she’ll likely have a bigger role this time around. With this, it’s easy to imagine that Dern is eager to reprise one of her most famous roles.
Dern’s photo also makes one wonder how Sattler and Grant will have changed since audiences last saw them. During her last appearance, Sattler was revealed to have been married with children, though she and Grant still appeared to be very close. We may be able to assume that this will still be the case but, now that dinosaurs once again roam the Earth, the two may have different mindsets when it comes to their past work in the field of paleontology.
Most know by now that Jurassic World: Dominion was one of the many studio productions that was shut down in March due to the global health crisis. Now, it stands as one of the first high-profile projects to start back up again. Of course, the working conditions for the cast and crew are a bit different this time around.
Universal Pictures and director Colin Trevorrow worked together to devise a detailed plan that’s meant to keep the cast and crew safe. This includes measures like regular COVID-19 testing, hand sanitizer stations and nightly anti-viral “fogs.”
Despite false reports of a second production shutdown, the methods appear to be working well so far. The cast also seems to be pleased with the policies that have been put in place, as actors like Bryce Dallas Howard have praised the studios’ efforts.
All in all, it would appear that both Laura Dern and Sam Neill should be safe as they begin work on the highly anticipated sequel. And it’s going to be fun to see their two characters facing off with the dangerous dinos once more.
Jurassic World: Dominion is slated to be released in theaters on June 11, 2021.
